Is A First Time Out-of-State DUI Better Than An In-State DUI?

In my opinion, any first-time DUI is better than a second or third DUI because usually the sanctions aren’t as severe as with a second or third offense DUI, whether in-state or out-of-state. If you have an out-of-state DUI that’s a first offense, that will go in their favor with regard to whether they can leave the state or possible resolutions to the case.

Do Out-of-State DUIs Commonly Occur on Business Trips or Leisurely Outings?

Most out-of-state DUIs as a result of leisure, they go out of the state on vacation and they’re not familiar with the area, or with some of the laws and they get in trouble, but then I do see a lot of out-of-state DUIs that are work related, because their families aren’t there and they have nowhere to go, so they go out exploring and find a bar or a club, have a few too many and they get arrested for DUI because they’re not familiar with the area and they make a traffic mistake.

Do A Lot of Out-of-State DUIs Happen in Rental Cars?

Most of the time, when I am investigating and looking at out-of-state DUI, they are in rental cars, which sometimes causes the possible problems that led to the DUI in the first place; they are not familiar with the car. I had one recently in which they thought the headlights were on because the switch was on automatic but for some reason, they weren’t on, so they were stopped for that. It was a rental car, they didn’t know how to operate everything because they’d never been in a car like that before and made a simple mistake and the officer, stopped them and smelled the odor of alcohol, thought something was suspicious and started a DUI investigation and took them to jail.

What Happens if Someone Gets an Out-of-State DUI on a Non-Commercial Company Vehicle?

Out-of-state DUIs in a company vehicle tend to be a little bit more difficult for the driver because they typically aren’t the registered owner of the vehicle. For most DUIs, the vehicle is usually impounded and only the registered owner of the vehicle can get it out of impound, but often, drivers don’t want to notify their employers that they’ve received a DUI unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Unfortunately, this happens to be one of those cases where they’ll have to notify the employer because someone has to get the car out of impound and that typically involves a company principal, one of the owners, so to speak, of the company, who will have to travel wherever, present the proper identification, proper ownership paperwork, pay the impound and towing fees and get the vehicle released. I do believe those types of vehicles are, with different license plates on them, targeted by police and many people are stopped under those circumstances.

Can an Out-of-State DUI Trigger a Domino Effect of Bad Luck in Someone’s Life?

Out of state DUIs can create a domino effect of negative consequences in people’s lives, particularly if they go back to their home state and fail to follow through, by complying with court orders and not consult with an in-state DUI attorney to help them find out about the status of their license or if they have a need for the ignition interlock requirement. When someone gets an out-of-state DUI, the requirements are transmitted through the State’s Drivers’ License Division and if for a traffic violation in Utah, the state will know they need an ignition interlock requirement on their license and they can be arrested for a Class B misdemeanor for that, and be taken to jail; it can also result in an year’s suspension of their driving license, which means they once had a minimal 120-day suspension on their driving privilege and now they’ve tacked on another year; for people to lost their driving privilege for a year or more is almost impossible; they have to get to work and get their kids to school, and those things can start a domino effect.

Another example has to do with the alcohol restriction; the Utah driver may not know there is zero tolerance for alcohol in their system and they’re stopped at a normal traffic stop and when the officer runs their driver’s license, it says they’re alcohol restricted. The officer may smell alcohol and give them a breath test, but even if they’re way under the limit like 0.02 or 0.03, they’re still in violation of Utah law, which can trigger another fine, possible jail time and a license suspension. When people get an out-of-state DUI, they don’t know the full ramifications and how they transfer to Utah, then things just start piling up.

For more information on First Time Out-of-State DUIs, a free initial consultation is your best next step. Get the information and legal answers you’re seeking by calling (801) 309-6966 today.